You What?
by SirDigby
Summary: A Crossover between Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess
1. Prologue

**Prologue**  
"Hey, Buffy, Wait!" yelled Willow, following her slayer friend.  
"Hey Will" Buffy said and continued walking slowly on the sidewalk.  
"Hey, are we going on a patrol tonight? I made this thing I wanted to show you. It's like a stake, and a cross, so it's like double vampire protection."  
"Great" Buffy forced a smile.  
"You know," the young sorceress slowed down her rapid talk. "I've noticed you've been kinda' down lately, is… Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine, Willow" Buffy said. "Just… A little Bored."  
"Bored?" Willow pondered. "But what about slaying? That's fun! All the monsters, and action, and demons…"  
"That's just it" she interrupted her. "I do the same thing every night; Go on a patrol, kill a vamp or two, and save the world on the weekends."  
"But you're the slayer, you… Oh, I'm sorry… I forgot you don't like being reminded you can't draw back, and… And…."  
"It's ok, Willow, it's not that" the slayer sighed. "It's just that I wish I had a real challenge. Not just another vampire, demon or evil spirit. Not that these aren't challenging, but… I want something… More interesting, not just a walking package of spooks and muscles. Something that'd be more like… Like…."  
"Like a god?" Willow asked innocently, and Buffy looked at her with a questioning look.  
"Come on, we're late for class" Buffy said and started walking faster.  
"But Buffy, wait, aren't you excited whenever a new demon comes along?"  
"Let's face it, Will, I had a stronger adrenalin rush watching Jerry McGuire last night."  
"But Buffy, that's romantic comedy!"  
"My point exactly!" Buffy said and the two walked into Sunnydale High.

---

"Klatum, Burata, Niktu!" Willow recited. In the dark room, each candle had a distinctive shadow as it fell upon the walls, making them look as if they were dancing around the young sorceress sitting in the middle of the Pentagram.  
"Klatum, Burata, Niktu…" she recited again, focusing.  
"Leditia, Dactum, Tukata!"  
Willow's knowledge of Latin was limited, but she didn't have to understand what she was saying. She just had to say it right, she imagined. With time, however, she learned that the power was in her, not in the recitation. She learned that all she needed to do was to will the spell to happen. The recitation just helped her concentrate.  
"Klata!" she yelled into the room, as suddenly she heard something. It was something like a thunder, an explosion of some sort. She kept her eyes closed, thinking it was part of the magic, and again yelled:  
"Klata"!  
"Huh?" she heard a voice and immediately jumped to her feet, grabbing her cross-stake.  
"Get back!" she warned him.  
"Ok, what am I doing here?" he asked and raised his hands in the air.  
"I'm warning you!" she raised the stake.  
"Little girl, you better tell me what's going on here," he said and approached her with anger, "Or I'll…."  
Willow jumped at him and stabbed him straight in the heart, just to find that she was still leaning on him. He didn't seem to be affected. Could he not have been a vampire after all? What have she done?  
She walked back and took the stake out of the man's chest, and it just slid out, leaving the chest quite unharmed.  
"What are you doing?" he asked her.  
"Who…." She walked back. "What…. Are, you?"  
"I am Ares, _**God of War**_, and I better be getting some answers, _**NOW**_!"


	2. By The Gods

_**"You what?"**_

_A "**Buffy the Vampire Slayer**" and "**Xena: Warrior Princess**" crossover._

_**Author's note**: The timeline of this story varies between mysterious and non-existing, as many facts don't match. For example, Cordelia and Ozz are nowhere to be found in this story, but Angel is. That's due to many reasons, the main reason being that I don't really care for neither of them, and the fact that they just have no part in this story anyway. Other examples include Willow being a powerful witch while neither Tara nor College are particularly happening, the fact that Spike just seems to be, well, around, and many more inconsistencies between this story and the show's timeline. Now - although I think it's safe to say that my story is far from the 'realistic' block by many miles, given that there are literally thousands of stories around the web describing all sorts of pairing that are so remote from any shred of possibility, I think that I'm liable for making minor adjustments to the timeline to fit my story. In other words, please don't judge me or my story for its obvious inconsistencies._

_Happy Reading!_

_P.S. - I don't really know Latin; I just made things up… Mostly..._

**By the gods**

"Who are you, and what did you just stab me with?" Ares asked and looked around.  
"I…. I'm Willow, Mr.… God of War… Sir…."  
"Ok," Ares bit his lip in anger. "Willow, if it's not too difficult…. What am I doing here?"  
"I brought you here" she said.  
"How?" he asked her impatiently.  
"I… Cast a spell…."  
"A mortal? Casting a spell? Don't…. Just… where are we?" he looked around, and Willow jumped on the opportunity to grab the lamp next to her and throw it at him. Instantly, Ares turned to the flying lamp and threw an energy ball at it, making it shatter and turn off, but Willow was already running out.  
"Mortals… Throwing… Energy bolts…." He looked down at the remains of the lamp. "Fragile energy bolts." He raised an eyebrow, and disappeared from the room.

Willow ran out of the house and into the empty street, but just as she was about to leave the front yard suddenly the God of War appeared before her, blocking the way.  
"Ok, tell me now, how long has it been since… Since the war of Troy?" he tried to realize in what time era was he.  
"Troy?" Willow didn't know what to answer.  
"Ok, maybe not… Arm…" Ares thought. "How long has it been since Julius Caesar seized control over the senate?"  
"Julius Caesar? As in… Roman Julius Caesar?"  
"Yes…" Ares started to fear her response.  
"That… That was over 2000 years ago!"  
"2000 years?" Ares looked around him and found in shock that he didn't recognize the scenery. "2000…" he transported away, not quite sure where to, leaving Willow in the middle of the front yard, pulse racing as fast as she was a second later, heading to the Library to talk to Giles.

"_**YOU WHAT?**_" Buffy and Giles screamed in unison.  
"I just… I was…. I didn't…." Willow panicked.  
"Hey, Will, breath…. Breath…. Right…" Xander tried to calm her. "Now slowly, why and how did you manage to bring the Ancient Greek God of War here?"  
"I… " She started again. "I was trying to get a challenge for Buffy, because she said she needed a challenge, and so I cast a spell to bring an 'ancient, wise and powerful non-mortal being' here and… now…."  
"Willow, you know you shouldn't be tempering with spells like that, you're not fully capable to handle it yet!" Giles lectured.  
"I know, I just…. I didn't… I only wanted to give Buffy that challenge she wanted."  
"Hey, Will, it's ok" Buffy hugged her friend. "We know you only meant good, we'll find a way out of this, right Giles?"  
"Well, problem with ancient Greek is that it's only found in myths and bed-time stories, and…." He started, but seeing the threatening look Buffy gave him he said: "Yes, we'll… We'll find a way…. Eventually…"  
"See, Will? It'll be ok! I promise!"

"The Ancient God of War, Aye?" Spike grinned as he walked away from the library window, and after a second of what seemed to be thoughtful planning, the Vampire started giggling with delight.


	3. Look into the past

**Look into the past **

"Giles said that this spell will open a vortex that'll suck Ares back to his time, no matter where he is now" Willow said to Buffy who was sitting next to her in her room.  
"And are you sure it'll work?" Buffy asked, looking a little worried.  
"Am I ever?" Willow was a little tense. "Now give me your hands," she said. The two held hands, and closed their eyes. "Concentrate."  
Willow and Buffy concentrated and went into a trance, and Willow envisioned in her mind a vortex opening, a vortex she knew in her vision was meant to suck the god of war back to his time. It's all in the wording of the thought - she thought - I can't even think about a vortex that can do the exact opposite… Oh-oh, I just did! Ok! The vortex will suck the god of war back to his own time! The Vortex will suck the god of war back to his own time! Damn, I can't be in such a level of consciousness! It'll end up all screwy; I can't control my thoughts (time portal)! Concentrate, Willow! Concentrate, that's it…………………………………. Get the god of war back to his own time……….. Get the god of war back to…  
"Buffy?" suddenly they both heard a voice, Angel's, who was standing at the window. As they both looked at him, suddenly all three felt something grabbing them. They were lifted in mid-air, and suddenly a bright light appeared in the room and as the light vanished, they all fell back on the floor.  
Buffy jumped to her feet, grabbed a dagger she held under the pillow, and looked around for a possible threat, but as she turned her back to Angel the vampire jumped at her, dropped her down to the floor, threw the dagger away from her hand and punched her on neck with just a couple of fingers.  
"I just cut the flow of blood to your brain" he said. "And if you don't tell me just what in Tartarus is going on here, you won't live to regret it!"  
"…Angel…" Buffy suffocated. "…What are you doing…"  
Angel looked around. Willow was lying unconscious on the floor next to Buffy.  
"…Angel…. Please……." Buffy held her neck, gasping for air.  
Angel turned to her and froze. "Buffy?"  
"….Agh….Ang….."  
Angel quickly kneeled next to her, pinched her again, and before she could even rise to catch her breath back, he was already halfway out the window.  
Buffy turned to Willow who now woke up as well and sat at her side. "What's going on?" she asked her.  
Willow took a couple of seconds to answer. "Buffy, I…. I don't know how to tell you this…." Willow said. "But I'm not Willow. Well, not only Willow. I mean…"  
"You sure do speak like Willow" Buffy seemed unamused.  
"Well, I'm both Willow and Ga… Another person" she said.  
"Another person?"  
"Yes. Angel too" Willow said.  
"You're Angel too?"  
"No, no, see, Angel is both Angel and someone called Xena."  
"Xena?" Buffy was now very confused.  
"She's a warrior from Ares' time," she said. "Willow… I mean… I must have done something wrong in the spell and it got us…. Them, here"  
"So they're in your bodies?"  
"Yes" Willow said more calmly than ever. "But not in the same time, I mean… I know she's there, and she knows everything I know and this body shares us, only that there's only one of us in control at a given time."  
"So who are you, other than Willow?"  
"Gabrielle" she said and proposed her hand for Buffy to shake.  
"I'm sorry, Ga… Willow, it's just…." Buffy said and stood back. "I know Willow, so please be Willow around me, ok, Agh…Willow?"  
"It's not under our control" Willow, or Gabrielle or whomever retracted her hand.  
"I'm sorry, I… If you'll excuse me, I'll…" Buffy pointed at the bed. "I'll just go faint a little…Yeah… That I'll…."  
Buffy fainted on the bed and Willow (or Gabrielle) just frowned and lay back as well.

---

"YOU WHAT?" Giles screamed.  
"I just… I was…. I didn't…." Willow panicked.  
"Wow, Déjà-Vu!" Xander said.  
"Ok, Willow, do you remember what could have gone wrong with the spell?"  
"Well, Angel happened to bust in, and…"  
"Doesn't matter" Buffy said and turned to Willow. "What matters is how we get you two back, without losing Willow and Angel."  
"You're speaking to Gabrielle, right?" Willows asked. "She's not really… here… exactly…."  
Buffy stared at Willow for a second. "Ok, here's what we do" she said. "Willow, listen to me, and… Pass it on, to… Gabrielle... or… whatever, just don't be more than one person at a time, it's confusing"  
"We can't be, we're only one of us at a time"  
"But you seem to change from time to time" Buffy said, "and it confuses me when you refer to yourself as two persons, so please be either Willow or Gabrielle, and… Giles, do you have any aspirin?"  
"Just ran out," Giles mumbled.  
"Again?" Buffy screamed with disappointment.  
"Yesterday" he said and disappeared in the back of the library.  
"Don't you ever shop?" she yelled at him.  
"I did!" she heard him yell and then collapse on something mumbling to himself something about needing a drink.  
"Ok, so, you got it? Be either Willow or Xander!" Buffy turned back to Willow.  
"Gabrielle!" Xander corrected her.  
"Yes?" Willow turned to him.  
"No, be either Willow or Gabrielle" he said.  
"Who?" Buffy was confused.  
"Willow!" Xander exclaimed.  
"Yeah?" Willow asked.  
"Agh!" he yelled and went to the back of the library as well. "Giles?"  
"What's his problem?" Willow asked, and then they heard some muffed mumbling and Buffy recognized the sound of Giles' hidden liquor cabinet opening.  
"Ok, so, got it? Be either Willow or Gabrielle at any given time."  
"Yeah, but how would you know who I chose to be when we chose that I'd be one of the two of us?"  
"That was obviously Willow" Buffy said. "Here, take this bracelet" she took a colorful bracelet off her hand and gave Willow.  
"Wear it when you're Willow" she said. "That way we'd recognize you, and the two drunkies back there won't get any drunker"  
"I heard that!" both guys scream, sort of simultaneously.  
"When did Xander get drunk?" Willow asked, and put the bracelet on her arm.  
"Giles is holding a stack in the back."  
"Oh" Willow nodded, understanding suddenly many, many things.


	4. The Evil Dead and the God of War

**The Evil Dead and the God of War**

"Ares, you big stupid primitive godling, get down here!" Spike yelled around. "I know you can hear me!"  
Spike sighed. He's tried everything. Summoning, praying, praising, sucking up, sacrificing… Nothing seemed to have gotten the God of War's attention. Who was this guy, anyhow? And why the hell was he here? More importantly, what's his connection to the Slayer and her friends? Then, he suddenly had an idea.  
"Ares, I can get you Gabrielle," he said.  
"Ok, just who the Hades are you?" the God of War suddenly appeared in all his glory. Spike smiled.  
"I, my dear ancient god, am Spike. And I know how you can get Gabrielle."  
"Is that so?" Ares snorted. "And what would she be doing here?"  
"The same thing you are" Spike said.  
"You know, I have very little patience lately" Ares walked around. "Especially since I've been thrown 2000 years into the future!"  
"Chill it, hairball," Spike looked at the God in the eyes. "You can't find her without me."  
"And what about Xena?" Ares asked.  
"Well, Yeah, we'll add her to the deal as well" Spike obviously had no idea what Ares was talking about, but just played along.  
"And how exactly do you know where they are?" Ares asked.  
"Quite simple, my friend" Spike said. "There's this library. In that library, are some very annoying people. One of them is called Buffy. She's of no interest to you. Her friend, however, is named Willow. Gabrielle, whoever that is, is in Willow's body, and quite frankly, that's of no interest to me."  
"So you're saying Gabrielle is in Willow's body? How do you know that?" Ares seemed quite confused.  
"Easy," Spike smiled and dived into a sofa, quite pleased with himself. "I've got the place bugged."  
"You've got me bugged too, what's your point?"  
"You primitive screwhead, it means I can hear everything they're saying!" Spike rose to his feet again.  
"Watch it!" Ares jumped back and threw his hands up in the air.  
"Oh, so you think you can hurt me, don't you, big guy?" Spike took off his coat. "Well take your best shot!"  
"Huh" Ares raised an eyebrow with the swift of a hand threw forward a giant bolt of blue energy, which hit Spike straight in the chest and knocked him back a feet or two. Falling on the floor and shaking his head, Spike seemed a little dazed.  
"Sassy!" he screamed and rose to his feet. "That was refreshing."  
"What the…." Ares was furious. "No mortal could possibly survive…."  
Ares shot forward another shot, which hit Spike in the shoulder, but didn't even move him an inch that time.  
"Ouch!" Spike said silently.  
"What the…" Ares raised his hand for a third blow.  
"You just don't get it do you?" Spike stopped him. "You can't kill me, I'm already dead."  
"Ha?" Ares was now REALLY confused.  
"I'm what they call a Vampire, long story, ask me later, now, I believe we can both help each other get what we want."  
"I know I want Xena…." Ares thought.  
"And I want Buffy" Spike said. "I can only give you Gabrielle, though."  
"That's ok, the two usually come together…"  
"Oh do they?" Spike smirked at the pun. "Anyhow, so do Buffy and Willow."  
"Well then" Ares smiled. "I think we got ourselves a common goal."  
"Indeed" Spike said and sent his hand forward for a shake.  
Ares looked at the hand and then at Spike. "Don't push your luck," he said, just before disappearing into a mist of blue…… just blue. 


	5. Who's who?

**Who's who?**

The next morning, the gang met again in the library. Not that either Giles or Xander ever left…  
"Can't we just find a way to send them back?" Buffy asked Willow, referring to Xena and Gabrielle.  
"No, see" Willow said. "Giles found a spell, but for the spell to work, both Xena and Gabrielle have to be here, and both must be in their usual, or not usual, or… Both Angel and I must be Xena and Gabrielle… and…"  
"I got the point" Buffy said. "So I have to find Angel."  
"There's more," said Giles. "Willow, does Gabrielle know that the god of war is here?"  
Willow thought for a moment. "Yeah, she does, she knows what I know and I know what she knows."  
"Lovely" Giles said. "Now all we need to do is get Ares, you and Angel in the same place"  
"And make sure we're ready with the spell" added Buffy.  
"And make sure Angel and Willow are Xena and Gabrielle" Xander added.  
"Oh, look who finally decided to wake up" Buffy said sarcastically. "How's your head?"  
"How's yours?" he snapped.  
"Well, seems like we have a lot of work on our hands" said Giles.  
"Willow, can you… Teach, Gabrielle, the spell?" Buffy was confused, as everyone else was.  
"I… suppose…. I can talk with her, you know, but that'd be like talking with myself and would just be awkward."  
"Good, do it" Buffy said. "Xander, Giles, you see what you can do to get the God of War here in time for the spell."  
"Right" said Xander. "Where are you going?"  
"To meet Angel" she said, and as she turned to leave Willow and Xander exchanged worried looks.

---

"Angel?" Buffy entered the old building and looked around. "Angel, it's me, Buffy."  
"I'm here" she heard a voice, but couldn't see him.  
"Angel, are you ok?" she turned around, looking for him. "I know what happened to you."  
"So do I," he said.  
"Where are you? Why are you hiding?"  
"Buffy, I'm not Angel" he said.  
"Xena?" she asked.  
"How do you know my name?" the voice asked again.  
"I met your friend, Gabrielle" Buffy said, and suddenly Angel landed behind her silently. Buffy turned around and didn't know what to do. She wanted to hug him, but she knew it wasn't him.  
"Where is she?" Xena asked.  
"Safe" Buffy replied. "I can take you to her, but first…. I need to know that Angel is ok."  
"He's alright," Xena smiled. "He told me… He told me all about you, and what you do."  
Buffy blushed.  
"And from what I heard…" Xena said, "From what Angel told me… You're quite a special girl."  
"It's just my fate…" Buffy started mumbling but Xena interrupted.  
"It's not your destiny I'm talking about" Xena said. "I admire your strength"  
"We better get going" Buffy turned around and Angel sighed. Whether his little deception worked or not, at least Buffy heard it. And at least Xena knew Gabrielle was safe.


	6. Ares 2K

**Ares 2K**

Ares 2K  
"I have Ang… Xena" Buffy entered the Library with Angel, this time really possessed by Xena.  
"Good, now all we need is Ares" Giles said and gave a somewhat harsh look to 'Angel'.  
"Xena?" Willow stood up on her feet. Buffy noticed she wasn't wearing the bracelet, so she had to be Gabrielle at the time.  
"Gabrielle!" Xena said and the two hugged. Buffy turned around. Even though she knew it wasn't really her friends, the sight of Angel hugging Willow made her feel weird.  
Xander, on the other hand, stared at the two.  
"What are you looking at?" Giles asked him.  
"Well, you don't see something like that every day," Xander said. "I mean, they are both women, essentially…"  
"But of course…" Giles sat next to him and started staring as well. Buffy gave them both an annoyed yet friendly slap from behind.  
"Listen, Xena, we need to get the God of War here as well" Buffy said.  
"Ares is here?" she was obviously surprised.  
"Yes, and we suspect he's trying to get back to your time as well" Giles cleaned his glasses and started walking around in circles.  
"Xena," Gabrielle said. "As much as you'd hate helping him, we have to; he'd cause too much damage here."  
"Agreed", Xena said. "Which is exactly why I think you're all wrong"  
"Ha?"  
"Ares is not going to try and go back to the past."  
"Why? What do you mean?" Buffy seemed intrigued.  
"I know Ares, he's probably already planning how to benefit from this situation. All the other gods are probably already extinct by now, so he's probably going to play on that. He's too resourceful to just try and go back."  
"Well, you know him, don't you?" Xander asked innocently. "Why don't you just ask him to come with you?"  
Xena, Buffy, Giles and Gabrielle exchanged looks.  
"He'd make a perfect Joxer" Gabrielle said.  
"Huh" Xena smirked. "Then again" she thought, "It's not such a bad idea…"  
Xena was just about to explain, but suddenly fell into a chair.  
"What's wrong?" both Gabrielle and Buffy jumped to help her up  
"Well, it could work," she said. "Only one problem."  
"Huh?"  
"Now I'm Angel…."

---

Gabrielle took a step back. She felt like a hypocrite, since it looked as if she only cared about Xena, and that if it wasn't Xena in that body, she didn't care… She wasn't sure she did, but then reminded herself that due of the fact that she and Xena are 2000 years in the future, in a totally unfamiliar environment, she's allowed to be as self-centered as she needs to be in order to survive. It wasn't as if she didn't trust the people she was with, but one could never know.  
"Well, can't you speak for her?" Buffy asked.  
"Ares would know" Gabrielle said.  
"Yes" Angel said. "I can speak with her, but I can't act like her." Angel hated lying. Not only did he pretend to be Xena in front of Buffy earlier, but also now he claimed he couldn't do it. Then again, he really couldn't, but Buffy doesn't know Xena's behavior, so she could never tell anyway. Ares could, and Angel had no idea what effect could an ancient God of War have on an ancient vampire.  
"I'll go" Gabrielle said.  
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked. "Wouldn't it be better to wait 'till Xena takes over again?"  
Angel gave Buffy a weird look, and Gabrielle said, "No, I know Ares as well, and he knows me. I'll handle it."  
"Xena disapproves" Angel said after a moment.  
"I know" Gabrielle said and turned around, leaving the library.

In the hallway, several people told her "Hi, Willow" but Gabrielle just waved and continued walking.  
It was already lunchtime, and with everybody going to the Cafeteria, the hallways became more and more deserted. When she was finally alone, she called "Ares."  
Nothing.  
"Ares, I don't have time for this, I know you're here."  
"What do you want?" he suddenly appeared.  
"Ares, it's me, Gabrielle."  
"Gab…. Gabrielle?" he asked  
"Yes, long story, no time to explain" she started.  
"I know, you're in this… Willow's, body, right?"  
"Right" she said. "Ares, you must come with me."  
"Oh must I?" he asked. "Where's Xena?"  
"Forget Xena, Ares, we think we found a way to get back."  
"We?" he asked. "So Xena's with you?"  
"Yes" she was starting to lose patience. "Would you forget Xena for a second?"  
"Easy for you to say…" he said. "But then again…."  
"Ares, let it go, will you?"  
"Oh, I don't think so" he snapped with a very pleased smug. "You know what I want of her… You can join, you know" he smiled and examined her body. "A little young, but…"  
"What's with you Ares? This is not the time! Are you gonna listen or not? Let go of Xena! She won't cooperate with you! And she won't indulge to your fantasies either, and neither would I!"  
"Get to the point!" Ares seemed annoyed.  
"We need you to get back!"  
"Oh, so first you won't cooperate with me and then you need me? That's rich!"  
"Ares, you can't get back without us either, so you don't have much choice now, do you?"  
"What happened to you?" he asked. "I remember you as this passive little blond girl, and now you're… A feisty… bad tempered… redheaded, little girl…. Anyhow, I'm afraid I just can't come with you."  
"What do you mean?" she asked.  
"Well, did you happen to think that maybe I didn't want to go back?"  
Gabrielle just stood in front of him in silence, thinking 'Xena was right… As usual… She does know him better than I'd hoped'  
"Well… I've found this world to be…. Fascinating" Ares said. "I'm the only god around, and I could do some pretty nice business in a town full of… Half dead… Living dead…. Whatever."  
"Ares, you can't survive in this world."  
"I'm a god! I'm immortal!" he said. "They can… How did that guy say? Nuke me, and I'll survive! I'll make them worship me once again, I'll…"  
"Ares, you're talking crazy, you don't know how this world works!"  
"Oh I'll learn," he said. "And if I wouldn't like it… It will adjust to me!."  
"Ares, don't…" she started, but he just leaned both his hands on his sword, and disappeared.

---

"Why do I have the feeling there's more to it than just that?" Giles said when Gabrielle told him what Ares said. "He can't make it on his own in a foreign world…"  
"Yes, and he knows that" Gabrielle said. "He must have a plan, he always does…"  
"I wonder… He must have someone helping him…" Giles thought.  
"Who could?" Buffy thought. Gabrielle went aside and sat down for a moment. "It has to be someone who shares interest with him."  
"Of course!" Giles said. "Gabrielle, you said Ares is obsessed with Xena, right?"  
"I…" she said and raised her hand, showing everyone she put back her bracelet.  
"Great," said Buffy. "Can you ask her, please?"  
"Ahm…" Willow thought. "She said Ares is obsessed with Xena, and will most probably try to get her to help him and his mission, and…. Ha? Oh, right, and he won't take no for an answer."  
"Xena would like to add that she would never use Yes as an answer either" Angel said. "And that usually when Ares needs to get to Xena, and knows he can't, he tries to get Gabrielle."  
"Great, so I have an ancient God of War on my tail…" Willow smiled with embarrassment.  
"Thing is, whomever it is Ares is cooperating with," said Giles, "he must have something of interest with either Willow or Angel."  
"I wouldn't let anything happen to neither" Buffy said.  
"Exactly" said Giles. "Just like Xena wouldn't let anything happen to Gabrielle."  
"So you're saying whoever's helping Ares wants to get to me?"  
"Exactly."  
It didn't take Buffy too long to realize what's going on.  
"Spike!"


	7. Giveaway

**Giveaway**

"Ok, Willow, from now on you're never alone for a single moment" Buffy said. "We can't risk Ares getting a hold of you and Gabrielle."  
"Gabrielle could probably deal with him" Angel said and looked over at Willow.  
"Probably?" Willow seemed offended.  
"Still, I think it would be safer if you stay around me" Buffy sounded a little stressed out.  
"Buffy" Angel took her aside. "I think it's best she stays next to me. It's an ancient god we're dealing with, and I have Xena's knowledge of him."  
"Doesn't matter" Buffy said. "We're all sticking together from now on."  
"Hold it, hold it!" Xander got tired of sitting around like an idiot. "If Ares and Spike are cooperating, he should know we're here by now. So why doesn't he show up?"  
"Who, Ares?" Buffy suddenly realized Xander had a point. "Maybe he knows we're together and wants to wait 'till we're alone."  
"No, he's pretty much invincible" Angel said. "He could take us all on his own without even trying too hard."  
"Maybe he just gave up" Xander said. "You know, on Xena."  
Willow suddenly jumped "Yes! Of course! I mean, he already had Gabrielle, I mean, not HAD her, but could have… Anyway, if he wanted to get to Xena he would've taken Gabrielle by now."  
"Or he could have just popped in to have a little chat with Angel here" Xander said.  
"We'll have to stick to the plan" said Buffy. "And that is to get Xena to talk to him."  
"Only one thing" Angel said. "This time Xena's not going to ask him to cooperate with her. This time she will cooperate with him."  
"No, I don't like this!" Willow said, suddenly wearing a worried look.  
"Gabrielle…" Angel turned to Willow, who now suddenly took off the bracelet, meaning that she was now Gabrielle.  
"Did they just switch again?" Xander whispered to Giles.  
"I don't know, I stopped following" the latter replied, looking into some book.  
"Xena, what makes you think he'll even take you in this body…."  
Xander was now confused. "Ok, Angel, Xena, you know that deal we have with Willow, Gabrielle and the bracelet?"  
"I'm not wearing a bracelet!" Angel protested.  
"Your coat" Buffy said. "Wear your coat when you are Angel"  
"That won't be necessary" Giles said and reappeared from behind the book he held in his hand.  
"What do you mean?"  
"We're going to extract Xena from Angel's body" Giles said. "And transfer her into yours."

---

"_**YOU WHAT?**_" Gabrielle, Angel and Buffy screamed.  
"This is getting interesting!" Xander smirked.  
"We need Ares to be under Xena's control, but there's little chance he'll work with her if she's in Angel's body."  
"Hey, give him some credit" Angel said. "From what I understand, he wants Xena for her fighting passion and her tactics and…"  
"When it comes to Xena, what you just described also applies to sex" Gabrielle said, causing Xander to spill his coffee.  
"Say _**what now**_?" Xander said and Angel scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.  
"I meant that that's what Ares is looking for in Xena."  
"Sounded more like a personal impression to me" Xander smirked at Giles and Buffy slapped him on the back of his neck, causing him again to spill his coffee.  
"She's right" Angel said and Xander managed NOT to spill his coffee that time.  
"About Ares not cooperating with Xena if she's in my body!" he added with a red face.  
"So it's done. Xena has to be transferred to Buffy's body" Giles said. "Gabrielle, do you think you can cast spells?"  
Gabrielle thought for a second. "Yes, Willow can guide me."  
"Besides, they know Latin" Angel added.  
"Good."  
"Wait a second! Isn't anybody going to ask me how I feel about it?" Buffy protested. "I don't like being possessed by ancient spirits."  
"Buffy, I understand how you feel" Giles said. "But we have no other choice."  
"Buffy, Xena's skills combined with yours would pose a serious challenge even for Ares, should he chose to go against you" Angel said.  
"But we're counting exactly on the opposite" Giles noted. "We're counting on him to want to take advantage of your combined skills."  
Buffy sighed and looked at Willow (or Gabrielle for that matter).  
"Was... Is... she pretty?" she asked her, referring to Xena of course.  
Gabrielle smiled. "Very", she turned red and crossed her eyes at Angel.  
Angel smiled and looked back at Buffy. "If passing Ares' standards is what worries you," he said. "Then you definitely have nothing to worry about."  
"Thanks" she smiled at him and turned to Giles. "Let's do it."  
"Right" he said. "Just one more thing, Buffy. Once the spell is done, Xena's coronal entity will be temporarily embarked within your own."  
"And for those of us who don't speak Watcher…" Buffy didn't follow.  
"It means that your identity won't be split like it is now with Xena and Angel, but will be the same, as if merged, the entire time. It also means that the spell will only last until the next sunrise."  
"And after that?" she asked, and although Giles didn't reply at first, the look he gave her meant that whatever it was, it couldn't be good.  
"After that… Xena's spirit will vanish."  
After a short pause Buffy nodded. It was Willow that suddenly seemed distressed.  
"It's alright, Gabrielle" Angel turned to her. "It will work."  
"Well then" Giles said with a pick-up smile. "Now we just have to wait until Angel becomes Xena again."  
"Here we go again" Xander said, and having finished his coffee just went to get himself another cup.


	8. Soul Possession

**Soul Possession**

"Are we ready?" Giles looked at Gabrielle. She nodded. They were all sitting in a circle.  
"Xena?" he turned to Angel, who nodded as well.  
"Good" he turned to Buffy. "Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine, it's just… I'm going to be responsible for somebody else's soul."  
"You forget we're going to have shared identities" Angel smiled at her, and Buffy felt strange as she could tell the smile wasn't really his. "It's going to be my responsibility as well, and trust me" Xena now looked at Gabrielle. "I have no intention of losing it."  
Buffy wondered what was going on between the two that made them look at each other like that all the time (and also felt enormously jealous as it of course looked as if Angel was looking at Willow), but just smiled and looked at Gabrielle as well. "I'm ready, Will. I mean, Gabrielle" she said.  
Gabrielle looked down at the Latin text and started reciting.  
"Imana nut tooha Tis Portium. El Aia, Eyu Tium, nic tesala"  
She took some powder and blew it into the circle they've created.  
She took a bowl with some weird ink in it and raised it above her.  
"Ista, Duna Dura, el mortem nos ni tonus" - she lowered the bowl and tipped her index finger in the ink.  
"Buktana, Gia, Nis-Mortum" she sent her hand forward and smeared the ink on Angel's forehead.  
She tipped her finger again in the ink, and after a short recitation inked Buffy's forehead.  
"Sic Transit Gloria Mundi" she finally said with a smile.  
"What did you just say?" Giles seemed surprised.  
"Hey, I know that!" Xander jumped.  
"Thus Passes the Glory of the World" Gabrielle smiled. "But I was joking, the spell ended the second I smeared the ink on Buffy."  
Buffy and Angel both rose to their feet slowly.  
"I think we better see how the spell is going rather than joke around about it" Giles said and stood up as well.  
"So, who's who?" Xander jumped.  
"I… I think it worked" Angel said carefully, trying to see if there are any fragments of Xena's identity in his mind."  
"It did" Buffy suddenly said and all eyes were now on her. "I am… We are…. This is confusing."  
"Relax, don't try to think about it, just sit down" Giles helped her down. "Now, tell me. What did you do last week."  
"Well…" Buffy hesitated. "Buffy missed three days of school and an important history exam" she said, but before anyone could conclude that she was Buffy she added "And Xena went looking for a birthday present for Gabrielle."  
Everyone silenced. Gabrielle then asked "What did… Xena get me?"  
"Oh no" Buffy said in a very non-Buffyish tone. "You're not gonna find out that easily."  
"It was worth trying" she said. "So are you Xena or Buffy?"  
"I'm like both, but neither. It's very confusing" Buffy seemed still disoriented. "I know, feel and think for both, so I guess that means I AM both. I can be whichever whenever."  
"I think therefore I am…" Giles pondered, finally realizing better what that meant. "But how should we call you?"  
"That depends who you're talking to" Buffy and Xena said.  
"I think there should be a like a… Singular Plural tense" Xander smiled. "Like, Buffy and Xena wants to talk. Buffy and Xena is the best! Buffy and Xena is…"  
"Buffy and Xena is getting annoyed" Buffy and Xena replied.  
"We could always call you Bufna" Xander said. "Or… Xeffy, or… Buzzy"  
"Oh, shut up!" Giles seemed to have lost his patience. Xander backed down and noticed Angel half passed out on the opposing sofa.  
"Hey, tall, dark, and annoyingly handsome guy," Xander obviously STILL didn't like Angel very much, and made sure he stated that every chance he got. "Are you alive?" Only after asking so did he realized what a stupid question that was.  
"Huh, no!" Angel was not amused.  
"Heh, ok" Xander said. "I've had too much coffee."  
"We can tell" Giles held his head. "To the point now. Angel, you're suffering from some sort of 'post-spell aftershock', but it'll pass in a matter of hours. Buffy and Xena, you should be suffering from the same sort of aftershock, however for you it will pass in a matter of minutes."  
"Right" Xena and Buffy seemed better already. "And for the sake of sanity, I can be one person at a time if I chose to, it's more like…" she paused. "It's more like before, when Xena was in Angel's body, only that this time we have control over the current… Ahm… Person."  
"Right, so… When you want to talk either to Buffy or Xena, address whomever you're talking to first" Giles said to the others.  
"Sure thing" Xander said, and only Angel and Gabrielle seemed a little confused, both feeling the same thing - that it will be weird talking to Buffy or Xena, knowing that the one is also the other at the same time.  
"Buffy," Giles addressed her. "It also occurred to me that we haven't taken Spike into consideration. He's obviously teamed up with Ares, so if you see him, do not try to fight him, you can't harm him if you want Ares to trust you."  
"That's bull" Buffy said. "Neither of them is trustworthy, and knowing both of them as well as I do," she chuckled, obviously speaking for both Xena and Buffy, "neither will be much sorry if the other was 'removed'."  
"Besides", Xander added. "Ares wants Xena, and Spike wants to kill Buffy. Wouldn't that make their interests conflict now?"  
"Of course!" Giles said. "Now they don't have a common interest to base their partnership on."  
"Unless, of course, Ares will give up on Xena, and then wouldn't care if Spike tried to kill Buffy" Angel said, obviously worried for Buffy, but also obviously trusting her not to lose if push turns to shove.  
"That is very unlikely" Xena said. "Ares will not give up the chance to… Ahm… team up with me, Xena that is."  
"I don't like this plan" Angel and Gabrielle suddenly said together, each with a worried, jealous look.  
"Sigh, Angel, hold on a minute" Xena said and took Gabrielle aside. "Don't worry" she told her. "It's only an act, I'm not really going to cooperate with him." Gabrielle looked down. "You know we have to stop him, you've said it yourself. We have to take him back with us when we go home." Xena raiser her hand to Gabrielle's face and softly stroke her cheeks, as strange as it was that it wasn't actually Gabrielle's face, and these weren't really Gabrielle's cheeks. "And we are going home, I promise you", Xena added, and after Gabrielle nodded slowly she pulled her close to her.  
"I donno" Xander said to Giles. "They still seem like Buffy and Willow to me."  
"In a sense they are" Giles commented, however he did not sound very sure of himself.  
Gabrielle relaxed in Xena's embrace and suddenly started giggling.  
"What is it?" Xena pulled back a little.  
"I just realized that I'm taller than you!" she smiled wickedly and Xena laughed and walked back a little. "You'll be ok?"  
"I'll live" Gabrielle smiled and sat back at the sofa. Xena now turned to Angel and walked closer to him.  
"It's ok" she said to his tough and suspecting look. "I'm Buffy now."  
"I really don't like this" he said to her. "You're going to let this god of war guy get all over you…"  
"Jealous?" She smiled, knowing the answer already. "Don't worry, I won't let him get too close. If there's one thing I… Xena, was always good at, it's restraining him to the level of her desire."  
"Now that's just pure evil" Xander commented.  
"Hey, do you mind?" Buffy snapped at him for eavesdropping.  
"Sorry" he backed off.  
"Come here," she pulled Angel closer. "And don't worry, Xena doesn't want him all over her either." Angel returned the hug, and with a giggle Buffy added "to both your and Gabrielle's content." The comic relief was well needed, and everyone calmed down a little.  
"You better get going" Giles told her. "We'll work out a spell to restrain Ares when he does get here, but I'm not sure how strong the spell will be, so you better make sure he doesn't suspect a thing."  
"I'll do our best" she smiled back and walked out the library doors. Gabrielle in the meantime wore the identification bracelet again, and Giles seemed pleased. "Willow, just in time" he called her. "I need your help preparing the spell."


	9. Leverage

**Leverage**

Spike walked around in circles. They had a problem. If Ares was to get anywhere near the library, the witch would probably cast some spell on him sending him back to his own time. Spike didn't want that. He just hoped that Ares didn't want to go back either, because he needed the God's powers at his side. He just wasn't at all sure that Ares needed him, and thus he knew that he needed to have some leverage over the Ancient God. That leverage, Spike knew well enough, was Xena. If Spike could get a hold of Xena, Ares would then cooperate with him, and he could finally draw his vengeance on the Slayer.  
Spike had another problem, which was the fact that Xena was also Angel, as far as he knew, so he couldn't just march in there and grab her, because Angel would probably kick his ass. Obviously, he needed a wildcard, something to draw Xena out to him willingly. He realized that was Gabrielle, but come to think of it, since Gabrielle was also Willow, kidnapping her would draw the slayer out to him as well. And although he DID want to get to the slayer, his plans for her were different. He had a problem, a serious problem. The Slayer played a key part in his problems, as always. He just wanted her out of the way for good. Bottom line was that he needed to get Willow, without drawing neither Buffy's nor Angel's attention. That was, of course, virtually impossible.  
Spike was tired of this. He fell back to his chair and looked at all the screens in front of him. On the screens he saw video feeds from the Library, coming in from Cameras he had placed long ago.  
But where was Buffy?  
He turned on the audio.  
"Anything?" Giles asked Willow who was sitting next to him.  
"Nope" she answered.  
"Better pick up the pace" the watcher replied. "We better be ready by the time Buffy comes back."  
"She'll probably be long…" Willow answered and with that Spike just shut down the screen and smiled. The coast was clear! 

"Ok, show'em to me" Xander said.  
"I've got… Three Jacks" Angel laid down the cards on the table.  
"Hahaha!" Xander grinned "Read'em and weep - Two jacks, and two sevens!"  
Angel stared at Xander. "Do you even know how to play Poker?"  
"Yeah, and I just won"  
"No, you had two pairs, I had a triplet, and triplet takes two pairs."  
"No way, deadite, two pairs is twice a pair whereas a triplet is hardly one and a half."  
"Nice to see you know math" Angel said. "But there's also something called a quadrate, as in four of a kind."  
"Yeah, well maybe by YOUR ancient middle-ages gothic rules, but this is the 20th century."  
Angel grabbed his forehead. "Why am I even trying?"  
"Hey guys, cut it out, will you?" Willow snapped at them.  
"Sorry" they both replied and just went each back to his seat.  
"Ok, I think it's ready" she said. "Now all we need is to get Ares and Xena back in here."  
"Right" Giles said and looked at Angel and Xander. "Angel is right, by the way. A triplet does take two pairs."  
"What is this, the British revolution?" Xander looked around.  
"Hey, I'm not that British!" Angel seemed somewhat offended.  
"Well, you used to be!" Xander replied and both Angel and Giles just sighed. Willow in the meantime just stepped aside, all this bickering gave her a headache, and besides, she wanted to take the time and learn more about this Gabrielle and where she came from. It was interesting to actually merge with this entity within her. She could almost see all the things Gabrielle was telling her about. In fact, she actually did. What she had thought was her vivid imagination was actually images from Gabrielle's own memory. The stories were amazing. The views, the adventures, the love… Oh yes, the love… Willow has known love, but what she sensed coming from Gabrielle was different than anything she ever felt herself. It was more inherent, more real and natural and far more powerful than anything she has ever felt. She just wished she could feel that someday as well.  
"Willow" she suddenly heard a sound from outside. She looked outside the window, but there was nobody there.  
"Willow" she heard the voice again. It was Buffy's.  
"Buffy?" she asked.  
"Willow, come here."  
"Buffy, where are you? I can't see you."  
"I'm outside," she said. "Come here."  
"Ok, hold on" Willow said. Something was weird about Buffy's voice, but then again, it wasn't all Buffy, she was part Xena as well, so…  
Willow walked outside the library and wondered the empty school halls. It was already late evening, and the place was empty. She walked outside and looked around.  
"Buffy?" she walked to where the Library windows were. "Buffy, are you there?"

Spike was watching the little red-headed girl walk right into his trap. And he didn't even need to chase her. It kind of took the fun out of it, though, but he knew that it WAS part of a chase, and that Willow was just the bait. Buffy was the pray.

"Willow, come here" she heard from the bushes. This didn't look right. Willow knew Buffy wouldn't just call her around. If she wanted to speak with her without the others knowing, she'd have met her in the hall or something.  
It was then that she noticed that Buffy's voice sounded mechanical.  
It was a recording.  
It was time to run.

Oh no, you don't!  
Spike jumped out of the bushes but she was already running and screaming for help. Spike jumped at her from behind and before she could do anything to hold him back he hit her head and she collapsed unconscious to the ground. Spike lifted Willow in his arms and started running. He knew that the girl's scream for help, let alone her absence from the library, would cause the others to come looking for her. He also knew he had an advantage, which was his vampire speed and strength. There's only one factor he forgot to take into consideration of his plan, and that factor was now attacking him from behind.  
Spike fell down and quickly turned to see Angel above him. He quickly jumped to his feet, and hit back at the tall dark vampire, but the latter was quicker than that and was already evading and hitting back. Spike wasn't un-quick himself, and also evaded and initiated a kick. He jumped forward at Angel who fell back from the blow, but used his own velocity to flip back and hit the bleached vampire from behind.  
"I know your secret, Angelus." Spiked smirked from the floor.  
"What secret?" Angel stopped.  
"I know you're possessed by this… Xena."  
Angel halted. Spike obviously didn't know that Xena was transferred to Buffy's body, although he somehow did know that Xena possessed Ares in the first place. He decided to play along  
"Good. Now I have another reason to slay you!" Angel took a sharpened stake out of his coat and raised his hand to gain momentum for the swing, but before he knew what was going down the stake was flying out of his hand and far into the opposite direction.  
Spike smiled. "See? Even the stake found you repulsive!"  
"How did you…"  
"He didn't" Angel was interrupted by a voice. Ares appeared in front of them in all his glory.  
"Ares" Angel said and readied his muscles for the jump.  
"I wouldn't" Ares commented on the Vampire's planned attack. "You're not immortal, you know. Just undead."  
Angel considered his options. He looked down at Willow who was lying unconscious on the ground.  
God or no god, he couldn't just leave her there.  
So he attacked.

"They're over there" Xander said as they came to a stand at a safe viewing distance of the fight. Angel was down, Spike and Ares were with their backs to them, and if Ares knew they were there, he probably didn't care much.  
Angel jumped at the God of War, but the latter just raised his hand and the vampire fell. He tried to stand up again but before he could gain balance a ball of energy hit him and drew him to the ground. "You're wasting your time" Spike was now standing besides Ares. "I tried everything, he's pretty much invincible."  
Angel found that he couldn't rise to his feet. "Now if you'll excuse us" Ares said and walked over to the unconscious Willow.  
"Willow!" Xander said and started running at the God of War, but the latter totally ignored him. Xander jumped at the leather-clad god, but Ares just raised his hand and with a flash of lightning just threw him aside. Xander fell unconscious onto the ground, and now it was the Librarian's turn to run at the ancient god. Giles, on the other hand, knew what he was doing and started reciting the spell to send Ares back as he ran. He took out a pinch of powder out of his hand as he recited, but Ares knew what this was all about and just grabbed Willow by the hand and Spike by the other, and they all disappeared in a cloud of blue mist.

the hand and Spike by the other, and they all disappeared in a cloud of blue mist.


	10. Mountains and Prophets

**Mountains and Prophets**

She already tried every place she could think of. She tried all of Spike's hanging places, she tried random evil-flooded locations, and she's even slain a couple of vampires, but could find neither Ares nor Spike.  
After giving up, she went back to the library, hoping maybe Giles would figure out a better way to find him. As she approached the library, she saw Giles and Xander lying outside, trying to recover from what seemed like a very harsh fight.  
"Giles! Xander" she yelled and ran to help Giles up.  
"You just missed them" the watcher said, still breathing heavily.  
"They were here?" she seemed surprised.  
"Yes, and they've got Willow" Xander now stood up.  
The warrior slayer paused and thought for a moment. "We have to find them" she said. "But when we do, things will be a whole lot easier."  
"But of course!" Giles proclaimed. "Instead of convincing Ares to come to us, we bring the spell to him."  
"Willow is already there" Xander said. "All we need is to get Buffy and Xena there, and to have Willow cast the spell."  
"If Mohammad won't come to the mountain…" Angel wallowed towards them.  
"Are you ok?" she was genuinely worried.  
"Well, Ares knocked me down real hard" he said. "But I'm alright."  
"We have a new plan" she told him and smiled.  
"I heard, and I have to say I like it a lot better than trying to seduce him" he commented angrily, and Buffy gave him a reassuring look.  
"So do I" she commented. "Both of… me…"  
"He's most probably with Spike, so I think finding him is our best bet" Giles said.  
"You're right" Angel commented. "I can help you with that."  
"Time's a-wasting, then" Giles said. "Let's go."

"So let me get this straight" Spike faced the god of war. "You're holding Willow, who also happens to be an ancient bird, because you want to get to this… Xena?"  
"Right" Ares smiled.  
"You do realize that Xena is a bloke, right?"  
Ares stared at him. "What do you mean?"  
"The same way Gabrielle is in Willow's Body, well…" he started, but Ares already got the point.  
"You could have stated that before" he was angry.  
"I didn't know before" Spike sounded defensive. "Anyway, she's in the body of another vampire, like me, only…. Far more annoying."  
"Wait, you mean that vampire that almost shish-qababaed you?"  
"That's the one" Spike said. "He's your…. Woman."  
Ares thought about it for a second. Funny, he expected to recognize Xena's spirit even if it was in somebody else's body. "Ahh, it doesn't matter, I didn't really expect her to join me, anyway."  
"So why did we kidnap little red riding-hood here?" Spike pointed at Willow who was sitting tied up on the floor, a rag covering her mouth.  
"We still need some leverage over the good guys" Ares stated. "We don't want them interfering with our plans, now do we?"  
Spike was almost tempted to ask "What plans" but realized that it didn't matter. All that mattered to him now was the slayer, and she was probably on her way to save her friend.  
And indeed, it wasn't long before she arrived.

"Can you really track him down?" it was more Xena asking than Buffy.  
"Yes" Angel replied as the group was walking towards some caves they realized they never noticed before. "I can sort of… smell his presence from afar."  
"I'm not even going to joke about that" Xander said and everyone wanted to thank him for that.  
"They're inside" Angel said as they stopped near the entrance to the caves. "I'm sure of it."  
"Good" Buffy said. "Now all we have to do is cast that spell."  
"Right," Giles said. "Buffy, you go inside first and start diverting them. We'll try to get to Willow and free her. She must cast that spell before they realize what's going on."  
"Right" Buffy said, and Giles turned to Angel now. "Angel, I'm afraid you can't come inside."  
"Why?" Angel seemed offended.  
"Spike thinks you're Xena, and probably told Ares. If Ares realizes that all three of you are together and ready for the spell, he'll disappear again."  
"You're right" Angel said. "I'll stay here in case Spike makes a run for it."  
"Sorry" Buffy said, and when Angel leaned forward to kiss her good luck she drew back. "Later" she whispered, and they ran inside.

"So she finally appears" Spike said as he saw the slayer. "Came to free your little friend now, did you?"  
Ares surveyed the new faces and frowned. Something was not right. He raised his hand towards them and they all flew back in mid-air.  
Buffy was the first to rise and started running towards the God of War. The Xena part of her instinctively wanted to do her flip, but she refrained. Ares must not know she's also Xena.  
Ares shot her with a lightning bolt, but she rolled aside and evaded. Spike jumped at her, but she kicked him and continued towards Ares.  
In the meantime, Giles and Xander ran to Willow to untie her. "Whatever happens," Giles whispered to her, "We have to make sure that Ares does not escape."  
Xander removed the rag that was covering her mouth, and she started chanting something in Latin.  
"Constraining spell" she explained with a happy smile. "Now that I know all the Latin Gabrielle knows, I can cast spells much better."  
"Splendid" Giles smiled.  
"There's still more" she said, closed her eyes, and continued chanting. Giles and Xander stood guard, but both Ares and Spike were too busy to mind them.  
Knowing all of Ares' moves was an advantage for Buffy and Xena, but she couldn't make it too obvious. Instead she evaded most of the time, to keep them busy until Willow could constrain Ares.  
It was a hard fight. Spike was insanely quick and Ares was inhumanly strong, but Buffy was both, and Xena was clever.  
Ares then suddenly realized what was bothering him: Xena was not there, but yet he could… feel her presence. With an extra push of his strength, Ares again used his special powers and Buffy flew back in the air. Ares stared at her for a moment, and just as he understood what was going on, Giles signaled her, and she realized the spell was done.  
She smiled wickedly and with her unique Battle cry, it was now Xena who took over and battled on forward. She flipped in mid air, and landed right next to Ares. It was then that Xander threw her a sword, and the God of War drew his own as well.  
"Xena!" he was almost too happy to see her. "I knew you wouldn't miss out on a chance to get me."  
"Despite what you may think, Ares, it's not always about you."  
She plunged at him with the sword, and he blocked her and went on an offensive of his own. At this point of the battle, Spike had turned back to the witch and her friends, but to his surprise the little redhead was free, and as he attacked her she suddenly evaded, and hit him in the back. He recuperated quickly, more surprised than he was hurt, but before he could do anything about it he was hit from behind. He turned back quickly to see Willow holding some sort of broken pole she picked up from the floor. She knocked him down again, this time by swooping the staff under his feet, and as he was down she pointed the sharp edge of the pole directly at his heart.  
Giles and Xander looked at her, stunned. So did Spike. It was obvious it was Gabrielle who took over, but then she suddenly seemed confused.  
"I… I don't know how I did that…" she mumbled. "I'm Willow!"  
"Oh no" Giles seemed shocked. "Your entities are starting to merge"  
"Does this mean…"  
"Yes" Giles turned back to see how Buffy was handling the God. "If we don't cast the spell NOW, one of you is going to vanish!"  
Spike got up and managed to escape the deadly wooden pole, but as Willow turned to run after him Giles stopped her; "No, we don't have time for this, let him go."  
Willow stopped.  
"We have to cast that spell!" Giles urged again.  
"Alright, let's do this!" she sat in the corner, and both Giles and Xander went into defensive positions again to make sure nothing interrupts her.

"What have you done to me?" Ares tried to dispel himself again when he realized what they were trying to do.  
Xena smiled. "We made sure you stay to our little party" She dodged another series of attacks from the enraged godling.  
Ares slowly walked towards the exit, but then suddenly felt like he couldn't move. "Humans **can _not_**cast spells!" he was red with fury.  
"They can in this lifetime" She said and kicked him, but he was constrained against the invisible wall Willow had summoned, so the kick just knocked him flat against the wall.  
Enraged, he started to battle Xena with furious slashing of the sword.  
"Let me go, Xena" he said. "There's still much work I can do here"  
"Work? Or do you mean bloodshed?" she evaded and tried to get as far away from Willow as she could.  
"This world HAS to accept me. They have no real gods, they have nothing to hold on to…"  
"And you think **_you_** are the ultimate solution?" She stopped. "Typical."  
"These are amazing times, Xena. Warfare is at its prime!"  
"Warfare?" she kept the distraction. "Ares, this so called Warfare killed millions of innocent people!"  
It was then when she made the fatal mistake of looking at Willow to see how she was doing. As she did this, Ares realized she was distracting him.  
He plunged to the direction where Willow was sitting, but suddenly he was raised in mid air, and his arms spread. He slowly turned around and saw the little blond, who for him was now Xena, standing below him.  
"War will never win, Ares" she said. "Evil – will never win. Not as long as there are people like… people like Buffy, around."  
She looked over at willow, and saw that she was also raised in mid-air, hands widely stretched, still mumbling Latin.  
"And people like Gabrielle," she added with a smile.  
Willow finished chanting and slowly turned her head at the Slayer, and the two exchanged a deep recognizing look, that was obviously not any more between them than it was between Xena and Gabrielle.  
Ares started shaking, and suddenly a light appeared and with an enormous flash Ares disappeared. The light then suddenly jumped to Willow and consumed her. Her head was thrown backwards, and her eyes opened. In the midst of the rumble, she could hear someone whispering something in her. Was that Gabrielle's voice? She wasn't sure, but before she could think about it any further, the light disappeared from her eyes and she fell down to the ground.  
Xander rushed to help her up, but Giles turned worried to Buffy.  
"Are you…" he started.  
"It didn't affect me" she replied, more shocked than she was worried. "This can't be! I can't stay here!"  
"We'll find something…"  
"Not without Gabrielle!" she seemed panicked. "I can't be stuck here!"  
"Come to your senses!" he snapped at her. "You_** are**_ also the slayer, you always prevail."  
"So does Xena" she explained. "But not like this. Not without telling…."  
But before she could finish the sentence, suddenly she started levitating.  
It was her time.  
She started shaking in mid-air, and then suddenly she spoke, in a language Giles couldn't understand, but could only assume was Greek. She said something softly, looking into nowhere – as if addressing someone that wasn't there, and as the light appeared in her eyes as well, a flash came over her and she fell to the ground.  
Slowly she recuperated, as did Willow, and rose to her feet.  
Willow looked at her. "Buffy?"  
Buffy nodded. "It's only me now".  
Willow smiled and gave her a hug.  
"Too bad, though" she smiled. "That woman had many skills".  
What she didn't tell them, though, was that she remembered everything. Xena might have gone back to her own time, but she left Buffy with a gift sweeter than anything: All her knowledge, all her skill, and most of all – her inner power.  
Buffy never revealed it, but a part of her – from that day forward – always carried on the knowledge, the strength, and the love – of the Warrior Princess.


End file.
